


How did they come to this?

by DelphineCxrmier



Category: Orphan Black (TV)
Genre: AU, AU setting, Angst, Canon Relationship, F/F, Orphan Black - Freeform, Sad, Slow Burn, evil!delphine
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-10
Updated: 2018-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-07 17:33:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 3,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8809771
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DelphineCxrmier/pseuds/DelphineCxrmier
Summary: How did they come to this?
Cosima crying on the floor of a prison-like cell. Delphine crouched beside her, trying to comfort her but being rebuffed by the hurt scientist. 
“Why are you doing this Delphine? I thought you were on my side!”





	1. I spy someone watching us...

It’s been seven months since Cosima had heard from Delphine, well, seven months, two weeks and four days, but who’s counting?

Things have been…strange. Somehow, Neolution have gotten deeper within their lives, digging graves for each clone, one by one. They took Alison first. The devoted Neo’s seemed to know more than they should have about her, from her schedule right down to the brand of shampoo she used. Cosima remembers because she gave her a bottle, even though Alison insisted that it must have been full of illegal products despite Cosima telling her that she only did pot and nothing else. They followed her, spied on her and even broke into her home, turning the place upside down as a message. Then one day, Alison was gone. Vanished. And that was all she knew.

Next, it was Sarah. She doesn’t know what happened exactly, Sarah didn’t exactly check in with her very often and when she did, it was fleeting. The only thing she knows is that Sarah has disappeared, too.

Now it’s her turn.

Cosima noticed that she had a shadow, a butch man that stood much taller than herself. He seemed to be everywhere. In cafes. In Supermarkets. Even outside her apartment! But there was nobody to turn to. Everyone was preoccupied with trying to locate Sarah and Alison, Cosima was not the priority right now. At least, that's how she saw it. She tried to lose this follower as much as she could, but he was fast on his feet and always seemed to catch up, never coming too close though. That's what she found strange. He never approached her, didn't try to interfere with her life, just tagged along behind her like a parasite latched onto its host.

One particular evening, as the sky grew unsettled like a tired toddler and rumbled low and deep in the distance, Cosima stepped out into the cool night with her coat wrapped around her tightly. She'd been catching up with Scott in a nearby cafe that afternoon and neither had realised just how late it had gotten.

_"Shit, I need to go, I'm sorry, Scottie, see you soon, dude."_

_"No problem, keep me updated, ok? and hey, Cosima, you're not alone in this."_

She made her way towards her apartment and quickly sensed that she was not alone. Her pace quickened, small feet trying to carry her burdened body faster than they could. She tripped. Gravel scraped across her knees and hands like a knife slicing into her, ripping holes in her tights and embedding tiny stones in her skin. Without hesitation, she jumped to her feet and fled, little beads of blood saturating her torn tights. 

As she spotted her apartment, she reached a hand into her bag and searched for her keys, but they hid from her like a naughty child. When she finally managed to grasp them, she was her buildings door, shakily trying to fit the key to the lock. Before she could open the door, a dirty hand silenced her. The stranger picked her up with ease despite her struggling and quickly placed her in the back of a small van, where another man waited with rope and tape.


	2. A lover and a liar

The vehicle moved quickly, tossing Cosima’s bound body to and fro as though she were a ragdoll. Her hands were tied behind her back and her mouth taped shut. She felt like an animal. The driver didn’t seem to care for speed bumps or corners and didn’t slow down for either, so with each pot hole, each sharp turn, she was thrown around without mercy.

Her mind whirled with what was happening. Where were they taking her? Who was taking her? Why were they taking her? Her mind wandered to Delphine, salty tears dripping onto the floor of the van. Would she ever see her again? Would she know what had happened to her? Would she die without ever telling her how much she loved her?

Her thoughts were halted when the van screeched to a stop, tyres scraping on the floor, the noise echoing and hurting her ears. She heard muffled voices outside, seeming to be shouting at each other about…Cosima?

Without warning, the van doors flew open and somebody crawled in towards her. The vehicles sudden stop had rolled Cosima so her back faced the doors and she couldn’t see who it was that was coming for her. She held her breath and squeezed her eyes shut, readying herself for whatever horror was about to unfold.

“I told you not to hurt her!”

_But that was a French accent…_

“Sorry boss, she put up a fight…”

_The nausea grew in the pit of her stomach._

_A small laugh_.

“I wouldn’t expect anything less,”

But it _was_ her. It _was_ Delphine that gave a little chuckle after speaking, hands gentle on Cosima’s side as she rolled her onto her back. Her eyes were a dimming fire against a black sky, seeing Delphine on her knees before her, dressed in that power suit that had always made her weak at the knees. She saw Delphine looking back at her with doe eyes, feigning innocence, but how could she be innocent? They called her ‘boss’.

She gave the orders. She was in charge the whole time.

Realising that her lover was in fact her enemy, Cosima tried to escape, doing her best to move away from her kidnapper’s reach but only managing a meek wriggle. Delphine was quick to follow.

“Cosima, please, I’m not going to hurt you, please, you’re only going to hurt yourself…I’m going to take off the tape, ok? I need you to stay still for me, can you do that, Cosima?”

What choice did she have but to nod in consent and stop fighting? She didn’t exactly have the upper hand here.

“Good girl, that’s it, keep still,” the stinging from the tape being ripped off her mouth brought even more tears to her eyes and for a moment, it seemed to be all that mattered. That was until she remembered where she was and who was in front of her.

“What’s happening, Delphine? Why are you doing this?” Her ex-lover sighed and for a moment, she looked guilty.

“I’m sorry, Cosima, but it had to be this way. Don’t you see that? I’m trying to keep you safe.” She’s never been a violent person but rage flew up into her throat and took her breath away, then suddenly she was spitting in Delphine’s face and trying to swing her legs to kick her. Cosima was like a forest, she took years to grow and was burned to the ground with one careless act. Delphine was that careless act. She wiped the saliva away with the sleeve of that very expensive jacket and began to exit the van, huffing a big sigh.

“Take her upstairs.”


	3. Faced with a nightmare

Who do you blame when your world collapses at your feet? Do you blame the girl with dreads and glasses, hunched over her own blood like a pool in her hands? Or do you blame the French girl with hair that could set a forest on fire and a liar’s mouth? Perhaps it is nobody’s fault at all. Maybe this is just how it is and that’s that. Cosima blamed herself, but of course she did, she always has done and probably always will. The problem was that as she sat pointing the finger in a war within herself, her little army was giving up on her. Her lungs were losing the fight, struggling to keep the enemy at bay as they were pummeled half to death, the evidence being the crimson splatters she continued to cough up daily. Her hands had a constant coat of undesired blood smears across her palms, like her hands were turning to blood themselves, but despite these signs that she was worsening, Cosima said nothing.

This deterioration was no secret, however. Delphine had been keeping a very close eye on her, watching surveillance footage from inside her cell ritualistically. She was Big Brother on another level. 

After reports from her staff that Cosima was refusing to eat, to drink, or well anything really, she decided it was time to face the music. She smoothed out her pant legs as she rose to her feet and pulled her suit jacket taut, taking a deep breath. She may be a liar, but was still scared. Her heels echoed across the cool cement floor as she walked fearfully towards Cosima’s cell, anticipation coiled tightly in her stomach. 

She went through a slim door into a narrow hallway that housed giant two-way mirror, appearing as a mirror from inside the cell but a window from outside. She spotted Cosima huddled in one corner, her arms wrapped securely around her knees like a frightened child. She looked so fragile, so…broken. Her skin was pale and her eyes drooping with lack of sleep, framed with dark circles that showed just how exhausted she was. On the floor was scattered food items, thrown in fits of rage by the petite girl. The bed set up was still as it was when it was made, so Cosima hadn’t even sat on it, instead choosing the hard floor on which to lay. 

It seemed like she stood watching her for hours, an array of thoughts fluttering through her mind. What reaction would she get? Would she try to hit her again? Would she forgive her?

She had no choice but to go in and find out. 

With anticipation rising higher and higher in her throat, she left the observation room and made her way to a heavy metal door with a rectangular hole in it by the floor, through which food was passed to the prisoner. 

No. Not a prisoner. Cosima. It was Cosima in there. Her Cosima…

She swallowed hard and took a deep, steadying breath, her left hand reaching into her pocket to retrieve the key for the lock. 

Cosima’s head snapped up at the sudden sound, the rattling from outside making her anxious. She clambered to her feet, unsteady but strong enough to stand, she expected to see one of Delphine’s henchmen, come to take her somewhere else or even kill her, but instead, she was face with something even worse. Delphine. 

Without missing a beat, Delphine entered the small room, one of her devotees behind her who quickly closed the door. 

“Hello, Cosima. I think it’s about time we had a talk.”


	4. What just happened?

Cosima would not look at Delphine. She kept her back to her like a mountain too steep to climb, her spine like rocks protruding from the side of wall as she wrapped herself in a cloak of protection. She sat like that, vacant and unyielding, rocking slightly on the breeze of her own unfinished sentences as heels clicked in her direction. The sound rang in her ears as Delphine got closer. Closer. Closer.

“Cosima, please look at me.”

Her voice shocked Cosima, for she was expecting coldness but instead it screamed with vulnerability and pleas.   
Slowly, as if afraid the ground itself would crack beneath them both, Cosima turned, eyes not meeting Delphine’s but the guard who kept his gaze fixed on a specific spot on the wall. For a moment, she wondered what was so interesting there. He did not look away once, a very practiced soldier that obeyed his orders. How did he get here anyway? It took a moment, but Delphine made the connection and cut the thread that tied them together. 

“You may leave. Now.” 

Despite looking like he was not paying an ounce of attention, it seems he was in fact very focused and simply bowed his head before leaving the room. Cosima noticed the key turning in the lock. 

“What do you want, Delphine?” Still she did not look at the blonde, choosing to stare at a spot on the wall just like he did. Now she understood why – the walls did not stare back.

“I…You have to eat and drink, Cosima. You need to keep your strength up.” 

Cosima’s ears pricked up and suddenly she found herself face to face with the woman who betrayed her. Molten lava boiled in her stomach and rose like a stampede up her throat and before she’d noticed, she was raising her voice and clenching her fists.

“For what, exactly? So I can sit in here like your little pet?! I don’t know who you are anymore, Delphine. You’re a monster!”

It all seemed like slow motion to Cosima, like she was wading through wet cement or running in a dream, but suddenly she was on her back on the cold floor, her blood-stained hands pinned either side of her head with Delphine straddling her lap and panting with rage. 

“I HAVE KEPT YOU SAFE! I HAVE SACRIFICED EVERYTHING TO PROTECT YOU AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?”

With strength she didn’t realize she possessed, Cosima launched her – and Delphine – to the side, now the one in control.

“YOU ABDUCTED ME! YOU KEEP ME IN THIS COLD ROOM AND WATCH ME THROUGH A WINDOW! Oh, you thought I hadn’t realized? Shit, Delphine! I LOVED YOU AND YOU BROKE ME APART!”

Keys turned in the lock. 

“YOU RIPPED MY ENTIRE WORLD FROM ME AND HAVE THE AUDACITY TO EXPECT THANKS?!”

Men ran at her, grabbing her around the waist.

“YOU BITCH, DELPHINE!”

Cosima was yanked up and off Delphine, who lay stunned on the floor. One of the men helped her to her feet and repeatedly asked if she was ok, but getting tired of their voices, Delphine raised a hand to silence them and walked toward a captured Cosima. 

Cosima had stopped struggling upon realizing that she was being approached, now slightly embarrassed by her outburst. Delphine came closer and closer until it seemed she would walk right through her, but she stopped, her face almost touching Cosima’s and her breath heavy. 

“You’ll forgive me…one day.” 

It was only a whisper but Cosima heard her loud and clear. She was going to protest when, just for a moment, Delphine’s lips met hers. It would’ve seemed like an accident to anyone watching, it was so quick that Cosima was sure she’d imagined, but with a smirk and a wink, Delphine walked towards the door and clicked her fingers, her devotees following without question. 

Cosima stood, stunned, trying to make sense of what had just happened. She approached the mirror, fingers ghosting over her lips as if they’d find evidence of that fleeting kiss.   
On the other side of the glass, Delphine stood alone, watching, touching her own lips with a small smile.


	5. I cannot tell what's real anymore

The days rolled by without much notice from Cosima.

She could barely tell if it were night or day anymore and time seemed to become less real with each passing moment. She was beginning to give up. Delphine had decided to leave her without real human interaction - punishment for the outburst three weeks ago, from which her bruised knees were still healing. The guards were on strict instructions not to talk to her or make eye contact, they had to pretend like she didn’t exist. It was an apt punishment, for Cosima hardly felt real anymore anyway. But Delphine still kept tabs on her without direct contact, a record of her health and behaviour being recorded diligently.

It appeared that Cosima was becoming too tired to continue her fight with her, that her strong resolve was beginning to waver, and she was slowly being eroded by the harsh ocean that was Delphine. It gave Delphine hope. At first, it looked like she would never give up with her fierce battle, screaming at and attacking whomever came close to, like a cornered wild animal, she would lash out, teeth bared, and a growl settled deep in her throat. It was easy to control her, of course. A swift injection ketamine to calm her and stop her ability to fight was all it took. After a little while, she became frightened of the needle and its effect and no longer fought, instead she surrendered and let the doctors draw her blood and carry out other medical tests as and when needed. She was shrinking, once a flower that bloomed bright, now a shrivelled remnant, petals curled and dying one at a time. The cool frost of Delphine had finally overwhelmed her.

She began to lay on the crisp sheets that she had earlier refused, realising that she was not going to get out of this room anytime soon and the floor was cutting in to her protruding bones. She had also started to eat what was posted through that rectangular opening in the large metal door, the only real connection she had to the outside world. The light would shine through, only for a moment, as her tray was slid towards her. Once or twice, whilst on her hands and knees awaiting the delivery, she swore she caught a flash of teeth and a hint of a smile from the other side. She was infectious, after all, people couldn’t help but be drawn to her and warm to her, even when she was dying. Not that she would call what skidded towards her ‘food’, more like the slop that was served in Oliver Twist. Her lips twitched up at the memory.

_“Delphine, come on! This is a classic!”_

_“Ah, non, please Cosima, we have watched it too many times!”_

_Mouth down-turned, puppy dog eyes at the ready, she replied; “please sir, can I have some more?”_

_A smile threatening her lips, teeth gnawing gently as she attempted to hide the giggle circulating in her mouth._

_Both laughed, and Delphine surrendered, folding herself into the couch with a sigh and a grimace, whilst Cosima played the DVD and skipped back towards her lover._

She was torn from her reverie by the unmistakable sound of a key being turned in a lock. The sound frightened her, and she grabbed her tray filled with wonders and shuffled as far back as she could, merging with the shadows themselves. ‘Please not more tests,’ was her silent prayer, repeated over and over in her head until a warm hand lightly touched her sharp shoulder.

“No more tests, not today.”

It was only then that Cosima realised she had been repeating this mantra aloud and a slight blush had creeped up her steep neck to grace her cheeks. Fear quickly took its place as she recognised the body crouched stiffly in front of her.

Delphine.

“I will not hurt you, Cosima. It’s okay, you’re safe.”

When long fingers reached out to touch her knee that was drawn to her chest, a whimper escaped, and she instinctively began to move away from her capture.

“Cosima, please. It’s me, it’s Delphine,”

Despite all her hardness and complete betrayal, Delphine’s face was the only one she truly recognised anymore, and she couldn’t help but be drawn to those doe eyes.

“I am sorry, Cosima. This was the only way.”


	6. a fox in the lion's den

“I have a surprise for you.”

Cosima’s brow furrowed at her words, what could she possibly do to surprise her? She’d already abducted and tortured her for weeks, nothing could shock her anymore.

“Come.”

The blonde’s slender hands cupped Cosima’s rigid elbows and supported her weight as she slowly rose on wobbly legs. She was awaiting the next blow, a syringe stuck in her neck or a kick to her gut to immobilise her, but nothing came. It was clear that the confusion in her face was abundant, winding through her features and screwing her face up. Just what was she up to?

“I’m trusting you, ok? Don’t try to run, they will find you before you can reach the door.”

Cosima nodded slowly. She let her body be guided by her former lover, be sat on the edge of the bed and have simple slip on shoes slid onto her feet. She had yet to speak, no words able to form in her mouth as her brain tried to process what was going on. Once her shoes were fastened in place, Delphine’s eyes met hers from her knelt position and Cosima remembered the last time she was on her knees for her.

_“Fuck”_

_An eager mouth lapping between her thighs, her feet resting on the blonde’s strong shoulders, head thrown back and arms beginning to shake with the weight of her own body._

_Amber eyes met hers, a glint of a smirk hidden in_ that _look, and it made Cosima moan long and loud. Her arms gave out, folding beside her as her back hit the mattress, the sheets crumpled in her hands as she held on for dear life._

_“Cosima…”_

_“Cosima?”_

“Cosima? Are you ok?”

She was abruptly torn from the memory as she swallowed hard and tried to maintain a neutral face. Her stomach was in knots, but she didn’t want to let on, so she gave a slight nod and a meagre cough.

“Yes.”

It was a meek croak, but the first-time words had slipped from her mouth in weeks. To Delphine, it was an electric spark hitting her blood stream all at once, her back growing tense.

She stood fully, lithe limbs seeming especially long when she reached out her hand. They seemed to be frozen. Delphine’s hand outstretched towards Cosima, who merely looked at it like it was alien. Was she meant to hold it? Instead, Cosima pushed herself up without any help, swaying slightly as her head swam with dizziness. Her vision went black for a moment and all sound dissipated around her, until slowly her mind returned to her and found her body being held up by Delphine, a frown on her face.

“Perhaps this isn’t such a good idea…”

“No, no. I’m fine, just headrush, that’s all.”

Cosima was desperate to leave that little room and would feign health to do so if that was what was needed.

Entirely unconvinced, Delphine nodded anyway, refusing to let go of her fragile body as she was turned slightly to face the door, an arm curled around her waist like restraints.

The pair walked towards the door, the metal hinges groaning as it swung open when they grew closer.

 Cosima squinted, the bright lights from outside overwhelming her vision and making everything seem blurred somehow. When her eyes did adjust to the sudden change in light, she was able to take in her surroundings for this first time.

_“Remember Cosima, look around, take in what’s around you, figure out where you are, yeah?”_

_“Sarah, I doubt I’m going to be kidnapped anytime soon.”_

_“You never know these days, Cos. Shite’s getting scary. Neolution is everywhere.”_

_“Yeah, I know what you mean.”_


End file.
